15 Pop Culture Moments We’re Looking Forward to in 2012

15 Pop Culture Moments We’re Looking Forward to in 2012

There are big things on the entertainment horizon in 2012, including the release of Hunger Games, the return of Mad Men and the impending nuptials of a certain pop star. Here are our great expectations for the year ahead.

The Return of Mad Men

We’ll tell ya what: 2011 was a long and lonely year without Mad Men. Because of contract negotiations, the show, which had aired each summer from 2007 to 2010, was put on ice last year. Would Don Draper make it to the altar with Megan? Did Joan really have an abortion? How long would it take until Betty drove poor Henry crazy? Those burning questions have bounced around in our heads for more than a year, and we look forward to finally getting answers when the show returns to AMC on March 16.

Photo: AMC

Ricky Gervais’ Encore as Golden Globes Host

He said what to Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp? Whew, we were nervous for Ricky Gervais when the Golden Globes telecast ended last year. The number of people he publicly poked fun at was longer than the nominee list! While media outlets speculated whether or not the British comedian would lose work over his cutting comedy bit, he had the last laugh when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association asked him back to host the 2012 show, which aired January 15 on NBC.

Photo: Getty Images

Hunger Games Hits Theaters

We didn’t want just anyone to bring the characters from the addictive book series Hunger Games to life. We’re pleasantly surprised by the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth as Gale. We’ll be there with our equally addicted BFFs when it hits theaters on March 23.

Photo: Murray Close/Lionsgate

American Horror Story’s Face-lift

The FX series American Horror Story made a huge splash in its first season, thanks to creepy-good story lines and a star-studded cast including Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott and Jessica Lange. So what do they decide to do? End the story, strike the sets, get rid of the entire cast and start completely anew for season two. “It’s a really fun idea to do an anthology show,” show creator Ryan Murphy said of his dramatic decision, and we can’t wait to see his brand-new vision (and cast!) when it returns in the fall 2012 lineup.

Photo: FX

The Debut of Kim Kardashian’s Next Boyfriend

After a 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries (complete with an E! wedding special), it may be some time before we see Kim Kardashian parading in front of the cameras with a new man. But she’s said she still believes in love, so we’re watching and waiting to see with whom the reality-TV queen finds it next.

Photo: Getty Images

Superman Redux

We can’t say that every superhero movie has us racing to theaters, but the new Superman flick, Man of Steel, is a different story. Not only are we eager to see how Henry Cavill looks in those tights (see, even he gives himself a thumbs-up!) when the film arrives in theaters on June 14, but there is an A-list supporting cast—including Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Christopher Meloni and Diane Lane—that we don’t think will let us down.

Photo: Getty Images

Taylor Swift’s New Album Drops

Taylor Swift is following up her tremendously successful Speak Now album with a brand-new release in 2012. While all the details aren’t ironed out—she’s said the songs she’s written so far are “sad”—we’re sure she’ll put every ounce of her heart into it. That’s what we’ve grown accustomed to in her work these past five years—and that’s why we’re huge fans.

Photo: Getty Images

Britney Spears’ Wedding

If there’s anybody in Hollywood who deserves a happy ending, it’s Britney Spears. After two failed marriages and a very public breakdown, we’ve seen her climb back up with a chart-topping album, Femme Fatale. All the while, her agent turned boyfriend, Jason Trawick, was by her side—and that’s where he plans to stay now that he’s popped the question and they’re headed down the aisle. When she says “I do,” which will likely be in 2012, we’ll be celebrating along with her.

Photo: Getty Images

Final Season of Breaking Bad

If you tried to tell us a few years back that we’d soon be rooting for a loser drug dealer and his high school chemistry teacher/meth cooker, we’d have told you you’re nuts. But great storytelling on the AMC series has us pulling for Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who was handed a fatal cancer diagnosis and turned to drug making to provide for his family after he’s gone, and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), a troubled kid who just can’t stop screwing up. Our DVRs are already programed for the fourth and final season, which is rumored to begin this summer.

Photo: Ben Leuner/AMC

Premiere of Wanderlust

It was on the set of the movie Wanderlust that Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux began a real-life romance, so we can’t wait to see the movie on the big screen come February 24. Will they have chemistry? Will we see a twinkle in their eyes? Heck, we don’t know if they even have any scenes together. But, at the very least, we’re holding out for some hand-holding and PDAs on the red carpet at the premiere.

Photo: Getty Images

Pippa Middleton Publishes Her First Book

Enough about the butt! Pippa Middleton wants to show the world she has brains, too—and will be releasing her first book, about party planning (the Middleton family business), in time for the 2012 holiday season. Sure, we think we can pick up a few tips for our next soiree, but we’re more excited just to hear her speak in interviews promoting the book. We haven’t even heard her talk yet. And perhaps by then she’ll have some baby news—her sister Duchess Catherine’s—to talk about as well.

Photo: Getty Images

Howard Stern Joins America’s Got Talent

Howard Stern can be brash, but his brutal honesty is his best quality (especially when interviewing celebrities on his radio show!), and we look forward to it when he joins the cast of America’s Got Talent as a judge this summer. The only thing that could make it better is if he works out a last-minute deal to bring his sidekick Robin Quivers with him to the NBC reality show. Her laugh is infectious and is always a nice complement to Howard’s straight talk.

Photo: Getty Images

The Final Twilight Flick

And…it’s a wrap! The fifth and final film from The Twilight Saga will come to theaters on November 16, bringing to a close one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. The story takes place following the birth of Renesmee, the daughter of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson). We look forward to seeing the story’s big finish.

Photo: Summit Entertainment

Katie Couric’s Talk-Show Debut

After saying good-bye to Oprah Winfrey’s talk show last May, we’re eager to see what Katie Couric brings to the daytime lineup with her new ABC chatfest, Katie. We know she won’t be as funny as Ellen DeGeneres, and she’ll tackle the tough news topics in a way you won’t see on, say, Wendy Williams, so hopefully she’ll carve out a niche that’s all her own. And one request: We really hope she has her former Today show co-host Matt Lauer as a guest just once when the show debuts in fall 2012. We’d love to see that reunion.

Photo: Getty Images

Glee Graduation

The seniors won’t be the only ones shedding tears come graduation day on Glee this May. Core characters including Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn) and Chris Colfer (Kurt) will be graduating, and their fate on the show, centering on high school choir kids, is uncertain. Kinda makes us want to sing the blues, but we’re eager to see what’s ahead for all our McKinley High faves.